Comfort Zone
A stylish seaside weekender in South Australia makes the perfect retreat for a busy family.
Functionality, comfort and contemporary style were top of the wish list for the owners of this holiday home, located in the scenic seaside haven of Port Willunga in South Australia. They were keen to build a relaxed and understated yet unique beach house that could cater to their family of four young children and two beloved canine companions.
Engaging architectural firm Outset Design and multidisciplinary design outfit Enoki, the couple set their plans in motion. “Our clients wanted a retreat from their hectic work lives, a holiday home with everything they needed for outdoor living in summer and a warm retreat in winter,” says Enoki director Susanna Bilardo. She and her colleague, senior designer Meaghan Williams, worked on all the material selections, as well as designing the interior spaces and outdoor entertaining area.
The four-bedroom property is built on a 1112m2 parcel of land on the fringe of the Fleurieu Peninsula wine region. Taking its cues from both classic and current design styles, the open-plan layout, flat roof and stone walling references are Mid-century, while the Corten-steel cladding, concrete andcompositestoneareentirely21stcentury.Rusticnatural materials – timber, rope, leather and sandstone – are used throughout for texture and cohesion.
“The natural palette and traditional elements such as the open fireplaces achieve the country feel the clients desired,” says Susanna. “The materials we chose are also robust enough for the young children.”
At 311m2, the single-storey weekender is relatively modest in size, but Susanna insists the home delivers way beyond its physical parameters.
The front door opens to a mud room/hallway, with the laundry immediately to the right of the entrance for easy disposal of wet post-swim towels. “Locating the laundry near the front door contains sand and mess to the perimeter of the house,” says Meaghan. An outdoor shower just outside the entrance helps on this front, too. Turning right at the end of the hall leads to three bedrooms and the family room; turning left takes you to the light-filled open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, connected to an alfresco entertaining zone.
The open-plan area is a textural triumph. American-oak joinery is teamed with sage-green splashback tiles, waxedterracotta pendant lights, a black Caesarstone benchtop and a Corten-steel rangehood. Lengths of rope adorn the ceiling and walls – a dramatic final flourish. “The clients trusted us to experiment with unique design elements and textural finishes,” says Susanna.
The owners love the laidback vibe and easy liveability Enoki has brought to the home. Susanna sums it up perfectly. “There are areas every family member can retreat to, each one as inviting as the next.” >
Enoki, Adelaide, SA; (08) 8271 5500 or enoki.com.au. Outset Design, Stepney, SA; outset.com.au.